This is one press release that I’m glad to see. The ODP needs to get ultra aggressive with voting integrity, starting at what they can control. The key is empowering their representatives on the election boards, through training, coordination and using the power of shame to point out Blackwell’s underhanded moves and leverage the negative publicity to give them a bump in 2006.

Redfern Calls On Blackwell to Implement E-Voting Safeguards

Report shows that audits of paper voting records are critical to ensure integrity of elections

For Immediate Release
June 29, 2006
Contact: Brian Rothenberg, Communications Director

COLUMBUS – Reacting to a non-partisan study of Ohio’s election integrity, the Ohio Democratic Party Thursday called on Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell to immediately implement new security measures based on the New York University study conducted by voting experts released this week.

While Ohio’s electronic voting systems have paper records, researchers from New York University’s Task Force on Voting System Security found that they serve little purpose if audits are not routinely and automatically performed.

“These are non-partisan researchers whose findings are alarming. Mr. Blackwell should move swiftly to implement every possible voting safeguard,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern. “Ohioans deserve assurances from Mr. Blackwell that this year’s vote will not be marred by similar irregularities.”

The year-long Brennan Center study found that Ohio’s electronic voting system is “vulnerable to attacks and errors that could change the outcome of statewide elections…But there are straightforward countermeasures that will substantially reduce the most serious security risks…”

Among the task force’s recommendations:

* Conduct automatic routine audits comparing voter verified paper records to the electronic record following every election
* Ban use of voting machines with wireless components
* Use a transparent and random selection process for all auditing procedures
* Ensure decentralized programming and voting system administration
* Institute clear and effective procedures for addressing evidence of fraud or error

Brennan Center researchers pointed out that these steps are neither costly nor difficult, but require the political will to establish voting standards of the highest integrity.

“Ohioans have suffered through hours-long lines and restrictive voter registration rules, the last thing they need are further doubts about the integrity of the 2006 election,” Redfern said. “These are very reasonable requests that will give Ohioans confidence that their votes will be counted.”

The NYU study involved scientists, voting machine experts and security professionals who conducted the nation’s first systematic analysis of security vulnerabilities in the three most-commonly purchased electronic voting systems. http://www.brennancenter.org/

Today’s Democracy Now has more on the Brennan Center report. Also look out for voting integrity champion Brad of BradBlog on Lou Dobbs tonight.